STEP FIVE: EGGS and DAIRY (no thanks!)

Our next step is eggs. We all know eggs are an excellent source of protein. But there is a little misunderstanding about how to eat eggs. Are egg yolks bad for you? Not entirely. The yolks are where most of the nutrients are. One egg a day is good for you if you include the yolk. But you would still have to be careful about how much dairy you eat throughout the day. You don't want to raise your cholesterol. I usually have two eggs for breakfast. One egg white and one full egg. For dinner, if I make stir-fried rice and veggies, I will toss in an egg white or two. Egg whites still consist 50% of the protein and has almost no fat. So, as long as you got your full egg, you should be fine to have egg whites during the day.

When I shop for eggs, I always choose Simple Truth brand. The chickens are cage free and are fed a vegetarian diet to keep them healthy and are free of injected hormones. It gives me comfort knowing I'm not getting my eggs from poor hens that have to suffer in most places. Whether you want to believe it or not, there are factories that give their chickens hormones that make them double or sometimes triple the amount of eggs produced. What ever is in the chicken's system, is also going to be in the chicken's meat and eggs. So be careful where you shop.

Healthy chickens given good diet

 The next portion is supposed to be about dairy. But instead, I am going to explain to you why I don't consume dairy in my diet. I find it funny that we humans drink milk from another animal.  Why it's silly to me is because cow's hormones are stronger than human hormones. So really, it's bad for our bodies. It will make our hormones go crazy! Not only that, but there are places that inject cows with growth hormones that strictly only make them produce milk. Like I said about the chickens, whatever is in the animal, will also be absorbed in the meat and produce. So, not only are you getting the cows natural hormones, you are getting the ones that were injected. Diary is also mucous-forming (which can cause sickness) and acid-forming (cause our bodies to overuse its acid-balancing mechanisms). So really, the dairy industries lied saying it helps get calcium in the bones, when really, it doesn't. It's doing the complete opposite. Not only that, when milk is pasteurized, it kills all the nutrients that are provided anyway. So you're not getting anything from drinking milk or eating cheese. Leave the milk to the baby cows. They need it more than we do.

Soy milk has more calcium in it and is a lot better for you. It has less fat, better for your heart, zero cholesterol, and fewer calories. Treat soy milk like you would dairy milk. Drink three cups a day and you're good! You will tell your body is so much better when you switch to a better lifestyle. It will take time for your body to get used to it, but it is worth it!

STEP FOUR: SEASONINGS part 2

The reason I split up seasonings and healthy oils was because in my opinion, we can use seasonings, or herbs, everyday. Herbs add so much flavor and nutrients in our food. So if you ever want to spice things up, experiment with different spices.

 I also wanted to go in depth about herbs. There are SO many different uses for herbs that we can use to heal our bodies, naturally. I am not one to take medicine, such as tylenol, ibuprophen, and so on. I don't understand why they were created in the first place when there are plants that do the exact same thing, minus all the toxins and impurities medicine has. Not only that, why would I take something for a headache when other medicines can cause heart failure, or seizures, stomach pain, fevers, and who knows what else? Herbal supplements are safe and are not addicting.

 So please, if you want a healthier, cleaner body, stop taking the man made medicines and start taking the original medicines. Don't poison your body any more.

STEP FOUR: HEALTHY FATS part 1

To keep our bodies functioning properly, we need to make sure we include healthy fats. When cooking meals, there are a lot of people that use butter and margarine. Well, stop it! When you cook, start using olive oil. There are lots of different oils you can use, but I think olive oil is more convenient. I also use coconut oil to switch it up some days.

Serving size: 3-9 servings everyday

Using oils for cooking helps you get the fat your body needs. It can cut the risk of heart attack and helps prevents heart disease. I have provided a site that gives a list of different oils you could use for cooking.

  http://www.today.com/food/beyond-olive-9-healthy-oils-cooking-dressing-dishes-1C8563746

In my introduction, I had mentioned that the only "diet" that I recommended was the Mediterranean diet. It follows the food pyramid and keeps you on track with staying healthy. 

 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet/CL00011

You do still want to have little servings of it. I usually use it once a day with one meal. Or you can use it as little as you want. Just don't over do it.

STEP THREE: LEGUMES

Our third step on the food pyramid is legumes. Legumes are categorized as beans, lentils or seeds. My favorite legume to eat are soy beans, or edamame. When we consume legumes, we have to be really careful on the portions. Even though they are high in protein and fiber, they are also high in fat and calories.

They are rich in folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and contain antioxidants. Legumes are also a complex carbohydrate that provides energy for your body that lasts for hours. 

 

 For portion control on legumes, you only want to have half of a cup three to four servings a week. For most of you vegetarians, you would want to up the amount of servings so you know you are getting your body what it needs.

Now if you need a good snack that you want to keep you pretty full and satisfied, I suggest having edamame. Even if you are craving something salty, you can always cook some up and top a little bit of sea salt on them. They are delicious! I also recommend soy beans for people that need to stay low with their GI. Soy protein helps people that suffer with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and more. Now, there are men out there that think soy protein is bad because it has estrogen and for some reason think they will start growing lady parts. Well guess what boys, you're wrong! Soy contains isoflavones that help reduce the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and guess what else!? Prostate cancer!

STEP TWO: WHOLE GRAINS

Our second step is going to be grains. Whole grains I should add. Whole wheat, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc. It is important to have whole grains in your diet, especially for those that need a low GI diet, because it has a safer effect on blood sugar and insulin. It also is high in fiber, provides healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and so on. Refined grains are highly processed and remove the bran and germ of the grain,  thus, does not provide any nutrients for ones health.

The portions you want daily from whole grains is six ounces. You could also measure half of a cup of each whole grain you have for your meals.

Grains do wonders for your body that helps reduce cholesterol, heart disease, maintain your weight which also means it helps with obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Whole grains helps the bowels function properly that also helps constipation. Whole grains are also packed with vitamins and minerals. B vitamins -thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid, iron, magnesium and selenium. So with these nutrients, they help the metabolism, help form red blood cells, release energy, carry oxygen to the blood and so much more. Even if you suffer from celiac disease, there are grains that are safe to eat.


Your body needs the nutrients the earth has provided. We just need to learn moderation and figure out what our bodies need. Everyone is different and has different nutrient needs.




For those of you suffering from celiac disease, visit my father-in-law's website to the right (National Allergy and Injury Clinic). He has helped so many patients with the gluten allergy that I know he can help  you. All it takes is a leap of faith.

STEP ONE: VEGETABLES and FRUITS

We are going to start breaking down the Food Pyramid for the next few posts. Following it will help with portion control and getting your body the nutrients it needs.

Our fist step is going to be about vegetable and fruit intake. When working on developing a healthier diet, it is important to have vegetables everyday for every single meal. Five to seven servings a day. Vegetables contain high fiber and a number of nutrients. When preparing a meal, it is nice to add a little color to the plate to get different nutrients different vegetables provide. Also, when eating the vegetables, it is even more important to keep the skins on our veggies and fruits. That is where the majority of the minerals and nutrients come from.

Some of my favorite veggies I eat are spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, green bell peppers, and asparagus. Spinach and other dark leafy greens, contains lipoic acid, which helps antioxidants, vitamin A and C, regenerate, protein, calcium, and fiber. Don't over cook spinach, thus killing all the nutrients. Eat it raw, and you have everything you need. Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamins, are 95% water which helps the body hydrate while also eliminating toxins. They also contain vitamin C in the skins, so don't peel it! I can go on with so many more veggies, but you can always do the research. 

On to fruits! You want to make sure not to have a high intake of fruits. They are loaded with sugar. Granted, it is natural sugar, but can still raise blood sugar. You still want fruit everyday, but try to eat them for your snacks when you feel a little hungry. The bright side of eat fruits is that they are low in fat, calories, sodium, high in fiber, and do not have cholesterol. They also include potassium, vitamin C and folic acid.

For those of you that love bananas, try not to eat so much. They are high in sugar. Try to switch with kiwis every now and then. They have just as much potassium but provide less sugar. But if you have to watch your GI, stay AWAY from tropical fruits. They are the highest in sugar levels. Here is a list of the best fruits you want if you need to watch your GI intake. http://www.livestrong.com/article/5375-lowsugar-fruits/

I also wanted to mention that in my opinion, don't buy the fruits that are already cut up and are ready for your purchase. They contain preservatives and I don't think taste that awesome anyway. So always buy fruit fresh!

"YOU'RE ONE WORKOUT AWAY FROM BEING IN A BETTER MOOD"

Before I break down the food pyramid, I want to talk about exercising. It is SO important to keep yourself active! YES! It's hard! You don't want to keep working at it but I promise you, once that work out is done, you will feel so much better! Your body is releasing endorphins that make you feel awesome at the end of each work-out! Just like Elle from Legally Blonde says "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." So, if you don't want to shoot your husband, go for a run, bike ride, walk, frantically clean your house if you have to!  

Endorphins want to make you happy! Go get active!

Exercising is so rewarding in the end! Even if you are just starting, you feel so good through-out the whole day! I usually go on a run in the mornings and I can tell a HUGE difference in my mood when I have been. This last week, I wasn't able to run and I was a beast the whole week! I was always in a bad mood. True, I do have the choice to how I want to act, but it surprised me so much that not running would do that to me. My endorphins were NOT happy! But today, I ran four and a half miles and have been joyous all day!

So keep at it and be active! Your body wants it and will start craving it when you have created the habit for yourself. So remember!...

You're not on a diet, you are working on eating better AND

endorphins are your friends and make you happy! Get active!

:)

Everything you need to know about the right "DIET"

Everyone is always in a constant look to find the right "diet". We've all tried so many different ones and nothing has ever really worked. Or we have found one that worked for a certain amount of time, but in the end, wasn't really worth it. 

What I first want to talk about is the actual word "DIET". I am sure you are going through your head of all the beloved diets we all know and, well, not love. But what the word actually means is what a person usually consumes. So, if you eat cookies, that's part of your diet. Veggies, fruits and that occasional candy bar? It is still apart of your diet.

So from here on out, especially if you want to start eating better and a lot healthier, don't say you're on a "diet". Always remind yourself that you are working on eating better. Some days, you will eat very well, and there are other days that you will want a little sweet or salty treat. Moderation is always okay! But, if you are serious about eating better, you want to give your "treats" a little make-over.

If you really feel like you have to be on a diet to help you gain self control, the ONLY one I recommend is the Mediterranean diet. Why it is the only one I recommend is because IT FOLLOWS THE FOOD PYRAMID! WOO! 

If you have questions about it, you can always search it and give it a try. I have a few things I take out of it, but that is what this blog is for. I am going to go through the pyramid step-by-step and explain what foods are good and bad and how to make alternatives. 

The changes I have made in my life have helped me so much! I am here to help others that are struggling as I have in my past. :)

INTRODUCTION

This blog is for the purpose of helping me keep on track with being healthy and mostly for me to write when I'm bored. But a little about me...

My name is Shelli. I grew up in Utah my whole life, I am number six of seven children in my family (five of us are adopted, including myself) I love being outdoors and being active. I have been married for six months and love my husband more everyday, and LOVE running.  Just recently, I have been better with keeping up with a healthier way of living and write this blog to keep me, and hopefully others, inspired to keep it up! I want to go into nutrition and become a DC (doctor of chiropractic). My father-in-law has been doing is practice for seventeen years and it is amazing that I have seen so many miracles in his office, let alone my own life!
Anyway...

Also (just to clarify a little more about my own diet) I am a pescetarian. What that means is the only meat I eat is fish. And to elaborate more on that, the only fish I eat is salmon. It's the only meat I can eat that doesn't gross me out! Plus, I will get into more detail and depth why it is too. Most pescetarians still allow dairy in their diet. Well, I don't. I choose not to add dairy into my diet because of reasons I will list in later posts.

Well, there is just a bit about myself! Hopefully you will like what I write. Everything will be from my opinions and the research I have done that helped me get to the diet I chose to have.